Sachusetts



PATENTBD MAR. 1, 1904.

A. Y. CUNNINGHAM.

LOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2B, 1903 N0 noun.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 1, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER YOUNG CUNNINGHAM, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR TO THE D. F. BRIGGS COMPANY, OF ATTLEBORO, MAS- SACHUSETTS.

LOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,473, dated March 1, 1904.

Application filed May 28, 1903. Serial No. 159,091. (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LALEXANDER YOUNG CUN- NINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lockets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in the construction of lockets, and more particularly to an improvement in the construction of a concealed hinge for lockets.

The object of my invention is to secure the hinge to the sides of the locket without the use of solder.

A further object of my invention is to construct a concealed springhinged locket, the tension of the spring operating to keep the locket closed.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the frames forming the spring-hinge and the two sides of the locket having double undercut inner edges for the spring-hinge frames and the picture-retaining rings, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a view looking at the inside of the back and front sides of the locket. Fig. 2 is a view of the frames forming the concealed spring-hinge of the locket. Fig. 3 is a view of the two picture-retaining rings. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the locket, showing the locket open and the picture-retaining rings removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken centrally through the hinge and showing the locket in the open position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view, showing the innor double undercut edge of the locket sides for the hinge-frames and the picture retaining rings; and Fig. 7 is a View looking at the inside of a modified form of locket, showing.

the construction used when the hinge is not concealed.

In the drawings, a represents the locket, Z) and t the frames forming the hinge, and sand 0 the pictureretaining rings. The side a forms the back, and the side a the front, of the locket a, both sides having the double undercut inner edges a a with the grooves (Z and c and the depressed interior recesses a and a The front has the cut-out portion a in the edge a for the hinge, and the back has the cut-out portion a with the projections a (a in the edge a This cut-out portion a forms a recess for the edge of the front side a to enter when the locket is opened, and the projections a a form stops to limit the opening of the locket. On the back a of the locket is secured the ring a for suspending the locket from the article to which it is to be attached. The hingeframes 6 and b are formed from sheet metal having a spring tension, the frame I) having the opening and the spring tongue Z2 cut inwardly from the edge, the end of the tongue forming one part of the hinge, and the frame 6' having the central opening 5* to form a ring and the outwardly projecting fingers Z2 if forming the other part of the hinge Z), which is formed by rolling the ends of the tongue and fingers over a pin.

.The parts of the locket are assembled by forcing the hinge-frame Z) into the depressed recess a of the back a and into the groove (Z and by forcing the hinge-frame Z) into the depressed recess a in the front a and into the groove (Z in the edge (0 bringing the tongue 6 in the cut-out portion a of the back a and the hinge .7) in the cut-out portion a, of the front a The picture-retaining ring 0 is now forced into the groove 0 in the edge a of the back and the ring 0 into the groove 0 of the front side of the locket, forming spaces between the hinge-frames and the retaining rings for the insertion of thin disks of transparent celluloid and the pictures or similar articles. By this novel construction the hinge is firmly secured to the locket without the use of solder, rivets, or similar means, and the tension of the spring-tongue on the hinge assists in closing and holds the front of the locket in the closed position.

It is evident that the locket could be oval, square, or any shape desired without materially affecting the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a locket, the combination with the front and back each provided with an undercut groove, of two frames hinged together and secured in the grooves of the front and back, as described.

2. In a locket, two parts having grooves and forming the front and back of the locket, two frames secured in said grooves and hinged together, the hinged portion of one frame being located at the end of a spring-tongue forming part of that frame, as described.

3. In a locket, the combination with apart forming the front provided with an undercut groove, and a frame secured to the part in said groove, of a part forming the back and having an undercut groove therein, a frame formed with a spring-tongue and secured in said groove of said part, the spring-tongue of one frame being connected with the other frame to form a hinge, as described.

4:. In a locket, two parts forming the front and back having two undercut grooves in each part, two frames shaped to fit the inner grooves in each part and connected to form a hinge, and two picture-retaining rings shaped to fit the two outer grooves, as described.

5. In a locket, the combination with the side a forming the back and the side a forming the front of the locket, and having the inner edges (0 a with the undercut grooves d and e and the depressed recesses (t and 64 the cutout portion a in the edge a of the front a and the cut-out portion a with projections a a in the edge a of the back a, and the ring a secured to the back, of the hinge-frames b and b, the frame 6 having the opening 6 and the spring-tongue b and the frame 6 having the opening If and the fingers b I), the hinge 5 formed by rolling the ends of the tongue and fingers over a pin, and the picture-retaining rings cand c, all for the purpose as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER YOUNG CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

FRED C. VVILMARTH, DAVID L. Low. 

